ELDERLY residents are being given buttons which must be pushed daily to confirm they are fit and well, as sheltered housing is phased out.

Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) has defended the scheme, which is a response to the decision by the city’s health and social care partnership to end funding for sheltered housing.

The move has saved £3 million, but will see traditional wardens withdrawn from 2,600 people.

OKEachDay, a service provided by Cumbria-based Alertacall Ltd, provides elderly GHA residents with a button they have to push one or more times a day. If it is not pressed, a relative or carer will be told, so that they can check why not.

The company’s remaining wardens will be based at three hubs around the city, and can also respond.

GHA says many of those living in sheltered housing do not need or want to be checked on daily. But critics said the system was potentially dangerous and could cost more in the long run, with vulnerable residents more likely to end up needing costly care.

Adam Tomkins, the Scottish Conservative’s spokesman on social security said replacing face to face checks with the pressing of a button was a “dangerous” proposal which would alarm residents and their relatives.

“Clearly residents could be in extremely concerning, perhaps even life-threatening situations for up to 23.5 hours before anyone is alerted and any help is received,” he said. “This new system is financially counter-productive, but worse, it is fraught with risk.”

Scottish Labour’s health spokesperson Anas Sarwar MSP said: “Families in Glasgow and across Scotland will rightly be outraged at these proposals.”

The budget for sheltered housing in Glasgow was £5 million five years ago, but city social work chiefs believe many of those who were provided with sheltered housing did not have a high level of need.

A spokesman for Glasgow Health and Social Care Partnership (GHSCP) said: “Sheltered housing has been a well-received service over the years, but many people in this kind of accommodation have no need for social care support.

“At a time of reducing budgets, we must direct our social care resources towards those who have been assessed with specific support needs.

“There is still £2m available each year to assist older people to live independently for as long as possible and we have been working with social landlords to see how this money can be best spent.”

Technological solutions have improved dramatically, he said. A spokesperson for GHA added: “Funding from GHSCP for sheltered housing services across the city will end in March. We are committed to helping older tenants live independently for as long as they can and we are consulting them about how we can continue to do that after the funding ends.”

But David Bookbinder, director of the Glasgow and West of Scotland Forum of Housing Associations, said its members felt the protective value of a warden service was being overlooked. He said: “It has been disappointing that the HSCP hasn’t recognised the value of sheltered housing. Most of our members who have sheltered housing have been looking at ways of protecting at least a part of the service because we know how much it is valued in the community.”